


show me some appreciation baby

by soniclipstick (veriscence)



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Stripper/Exotic Dancer, Bucky used to be a stripper basically, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Crack, M/M, Multi, OT3, Polyamory, i don't know what i'm writing anymore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-15
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-06-08 17:06:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6865192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/veriscence/pseuds/soniclipstick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“How dare you not tell me this?” One hand resting on the jut of his hip, and the other shaking an indignant finger at Bucky, Tony continues what is clearly the introductory paragraph of an essay-length rant. “I demand retribution. In the form of lap dances! And pole dances! Oh — and strip teases, <em>all</em> the strip teases!”</p><p>“Stevie, you blabbermouth fucknugget,” Bucky says.</p>
            </blockquote>





	show me some appreciation baby

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to CallipygianGoldfish for the lovely beta, and also for convincing me that this fic needed to be written.

 

“You are a lying liar who lies, Sergeant Barnes!”

It’s early enough that Tony and Steve should be exactly where Bucky had left them when he’d gone for his morning run with Natasha: curled around each other in bed. He’s freshly showered and drinking coffee, getting a head start on breakfast for everyone. The last thing he’s expecting when he looks in the direction of the affronted-sounding voice is to be treated to one of his favourite views of all time: Tony clad in nothing but Steve’s boxer briefs and Bucky’s old army shirt. 

“How dare you not tell me this?” One hand resting on the jut of his hip, and the other shaking an indignant finger at Bucky, Tony continues what is clearly the introductory paragraph of an essay-length rant. “I demand retribution. In the form of lap dances! And pole dances! Oh — and strip teases, _all_  the strip teases!”

“Stevie, you blabbermouth fucknugget,” Bucky says, because he can hear Steve’s light steps from somewhere behind Tony.

“Sorry,” Steve says, appearing behind Tony, his hair all sleep-mussed. His shirt rides up and exposes his sharp hip bones as he scratches his head. “It just sort of slipped out.”

“James! Pay attention when I’m annoyed with you!”

“For the record, I never actually lied to you,” Bucky tells Tony, handing his coffee over as recompense. Tony stomps over to him, grabs the mug, and downs the remaining coffee in one go.

“No, you just neglected to mention that you pole danced your hot ass through college.”

Steve grins and makes his way to the coffee machine. His shirt is also one of Bucky’s, one Steve had claimed as his in high school and refused to return. The collar slips right off of one of his shoulders as he takes out two mugs from the dish rack.

“I have never been so annoyed to have gone to a different university, in a different decade,” Tony fumes. “And dammit, Steve, pull your fucking shirt up, it’s really fucking distracting.”

Steve grins and sticks his tongue out at Tony, who reciprocates, and Bucky decides that’s probably the end of that, and reaches for the next bagel just as the toaster dings.  

“Hey! We are nowhere near done with this conversation.”

Well, one can dream. “It’s really not that big a deal. And it was just the first two years. The pay was really good, man. Then I got recruited and the military paid for the rest. Is there even the slightest chance that you’re going to let this go?”

“Are you fucking kidding me? Not a big deal? My boyfriend and fellow engineering bro — sorry babe you know Bruce is my science bro — was an exotic dancer once, and you think that’s not a big deal?” Tony asks, handing his now empty coffee mug over to Steve, who takes it. “Then again, I should have known. You’re all twisty and turny in bed.”

Steve fills the mug, and also passes a new mug to Bucky, who takes it along with a wet kiss to the chin. Steve settles on Bucky’s other side, stealing bits of cheese as Bucky prepares the bagel.

“You are pretty damn flexible,” Steve tells him.

“Did Steve also mention to you that it was his idea by the way?” Bucky asks Tony, smearing butter on the sesame seed bagel.

“That’s why Steve is a genuine gift from the universe, James. And I’m not surprised. With all that swagger, it’s the perfect student job. You’re too grumpy to work in service.”

“What swagger?”

“The whole, I’m a hot piece of ass, look at me, and my arm’s gorgeous and metal and oh my GOD — I have a pole installed on my private jet. Let’s fly to Europe, no. Japan’s farther. Why didn’t you tell me? Did you think I’d be mad?”

“No,” Bucky replies, internally yelling at his cheeks to cool the fuck down. The thing is, he can’t help it when Tony compliments his arm. Compliments him in general really. It’s one thing with Steve, who’s loved him since they were fourteen and sharing first kisses and first times. Steve, who’s loved him through “don’t ask don’t tell”, and through losing an arm and his mind. It’s different with Tony, who’d met the scarred, ill-tempered, spooked animal that had been Bucky after Afghanistan and loved him despite it.

“Then what? That I’d be embarrassed of you? Come on, as a guy who’s probably funded the educations of dozens of strippers in Manhattan over the years; I’m the last person to judge.”

Bucky’s not ashamed.  Not really. It’s just that he’s come a long way, and doesn’t really see the point in bringing up the past. Nowadays, people see the engineer who spends his days working on prosthetics for Stark Industries. They don’t need to know about what Bucky did to get there.  So what if it sometimes reminds him of the fact that Steve and Bucky aren’t really on the same planet as genius, billionaire Tony Stark? So maybe a part of him had wondered if this would be the straw that would break the camel’s back — make Tony realise how different they were, and trying this was ridiculous and he was better off without either of them.

Okay, so maybe he’d been a _little_ ashamed.

It’s not like he’s ever talked about it, not even with Steve. Not in the least because there are bad days in which Bucky thinks both of them would be happier without him.

He doesn’t know how to put those thoughts into words that don’t sound pathetic, so he just shrugs. Tony tilts his head, and then, surprisingly, smirks.

“Well, whatever the case, you do realise what this means right?”

“What?”

“You owe me! All the strip teases! How many more has Steve gotten over me? I am so jealous of you right now, Steven!” Tony sticks his tongue out at Steve again, who shakes his head and then looks at Bucky.

That’s what does it.

The two of the burst into laughter, clutching their bellies for support. It’s a mixture of relief and also of nostalgia. Tony’s here. He’s not wondering what the fuck he’s doing with them. Of course he isn’t, it seems silly even now to think Bucky had ever thought such a thing of Tony.

The memories come back, Bucky trying to give Steve a practice lap dance and failing spectacularly, of Steve not being able to hold in his giggles while Bucky shrugged out of his booty shorts. Oh, the booty shorts! How would Tony react to Bucky in booty shorts?

 “What now?” Tony pouts. “Guys. Is this another inside joke from ten years ago I have no context for?”

“No, baby,” Steve gasps, reaching forward to kiss Tony quickly. Bucky loses his breath again, but this time because of how beautiful they look, how happy.

“Steve has no appreciation for my talents,” Bucky drawls, once they pull apart. Steve giggles, and Bucky shoves him. Steve kicks him in the shin and then climbs up on the kitchen island across from them.

“Of course I appreciated it, Bucky,” Steve says with a shit-eating grin. “Remember when you were practising on me? And you fell and sprained your ankle? Yeah, that was such a turn-on, baby.”

“Shaddup.” Bucky reaches over to poke Steve’s belly. “I fell over because of your bony thighs.”

Steve smacks his hand away, then pulls him closer by his shirt. “Oh please, all I could see was you falling over trying to take your damn pants off!” Steve grins, then presses up against him, kisses him ever so sweetly.

 “Well, I’ll appreciate it,” Tony says from behind them. “I’ll appreciate the fuck out of it so hard—“

Bucky laughs, and turns around, walking into Tony’s open arms. He presses kisses into his hair, his ear, his jaw line. “I bet you would.”

“So, Japan, then?” Tony asks.

“What are we even going to do in Japan?” Steve asks.

“Who cares? Isn’t there a saying about how the journey’s the best part?” Tony asks.

-

They do make it to Japan. They stay in the city long enough to restock the jet, have Bucky and Steve wrestle the phone from Tony’s hand after he starts telling Pepper about Bucky’s sort of secret skill in excruciating detail, and then they’re back in the air again. Bucky thinks the only reason they even stop in New York is because they accidentally break the pole.

Until they come home.

“I’ve unleashed a monster,” Steve says, as he walks around the newly erected (heh) pole in their bedroom.

“Goddammit, Stevie,” is the only thing Bucky manages to stay before Tony pushes him against the pole and drops to his knees.

It turns out, Tony is _very_ good at appreciation.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Come hang out with me on tumblr? I'm soniclipstick over there, too:)


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